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By Kelley Salamone

It just may be if you are using a white coffee filter every morning. White coffee filters are made with dioxins, a hazardous chemical compound used to make bleach. This compound is very hard for the body to get rid of since it stores in our fatty tissues. Over time, exposure to this chemical has been linked to cancer, birth defects, inability to maintain pregnancy, decreased fertility, endometriosis, diabetes, learning disabilities, liver damage, and many more. Dioxins are not just found in coffee filters. They are in the food we eat and in many of the paper products we use every day. One way to avoid this hazardous exposure is to use unbleached products and try to eat organic foods as much as possible.

Over the past few months I have learned a lot about becoming a more “Green” family. I’ve searched the internet and purchased several books that I currently use as a reference in my everyday life. It’s shocking to discover some hidden details that no one ever seems to talk about. I was shocked to learn of the many hazardous chemicals in my household cleaners as well as the most recent discovery of toxic chemicals in our personal care products. Who would have thought that we should not only watch what we put in our bodies but also what we put on our bodies. Did you know that the human body absorbs about 60% of what is placed on the skin. As a parent, with this new profound knowledge, I can’t sit back and not take action. I feel I should not only protect my family now but do my best to help protect my next generation.

I don’t have all the answers, I’m learning about being “Green” just like you. The findings I share with you are just a stepping stone for you to take the next step in discovering what’s best for you and your family.